US - China Conflict: China Warns US to Cautiously Handle the Taiwan Matter
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Ruqiya Anwar
- 30 Oct 2021 19:33
- 8 Shares
5 Min Read
For decades, the dispute over Taiwan's fate has posed a threat of conflict between China and the United States.
Taiwan is recognized by the Chinese government as a breakaway province that will reintegrate into the country in the future. Many Taiwanese individuals believe that this is not the case. Whether or not independence is ever legally declared, they believe they have a separate nation. Whereas, China presented the "one country, two systems" approach, in which Taiwan would be granted extensive autonomy in exchange for accepting Chinese reunification.
Moreover, the Chinese government has also taken significant steps to promote bilateral exchanges and collaboration in sectors such as two-way travel, postal and communications services, as well as scientific, cultural, sports, academic, and journalistic activities. Furthermore, a non-governmental association for cross-strait relations has been established and empowered by the government to liaise with the Straits Exchange Foundation and other relevant non-governmental agencies in Taiwan to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people of both sides and promote relations.
Significantly, more and more Taiwanese, and overseas Chinese as well as people of Chinese descent, have come to understand and support the Chinese government's policies and measures. Taiwanese citizens have made a significant contribution to the development of cross-strait ties. In recent years, the Taiwanese government has made changes to its policies toward the mainland. They have taken steps to alleviate the situation, such as permitting people to visit relatives on the mainland, gradually easing limitations on people-to-people exchanges, boosting indirect trade, allowing indirect investment and decreasing red tape in inter-Strait’s post, telecommunications, and bank remittance services are just a few examples. Over the last few years, economic contacts and trade have grown rapidly, as have mutual visits and other interactions across the Straits.
For decades, the dispute over the island's fate has posed a threat of conflict between China and the United States. However, the expected Chinese invasion never occurred. Amid the discourse of US-China rivalry, Taiwan is all too frequently reduced to a policy football, a tiny object vulnerable to bigger geopolitical dynamics (Derik & John, 2021).
Because of its military, political, and economic importance in China's and the United States' historical and current realities, Taiwan has become a very contentious topic between the two countries. In other words, the Taiwan Strait plays a role in the world's two superpowers' political rivalry. By providing military backing to Taiwan, the United States is provoking China, particularly under Trump's and current Joe Biden's administration. The relationship between China, the United States, and Taiwan is complicated. This relationship has an impact on the entire international system, particularly in Asia (Nabil Haltam, 2020).
If China attacks the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan, President Joe Biden has stated that the US will defend it. His comments come as concerns rise about Beijing's intensified pressure on Taiwan, which it considers as a renegade colony in need of reunification, if necessary, by force. There has been no change in policy regarding the island, according to the White House.
While, China claims Taiwan as its own, and Beijing's political and military strategy revolves around its control of the island. Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that “reunification of the nation must be realized, and will be realized” (David, 2021).
As a result, recently the US has increased its support for Taiwan and shifted its attention to the Indo-Pacific area more widely. The United States' support for Taiwan is "rock solid," according to US State Department spokesman Ned Price, who also stressed, "We have also been very clear that we are dedicated to expanding our ties with Taiwan."
Whereas, China accuses the United States of endangering its sovereignty and endangering the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. Additionally, China's foreign ministry has stated that it will not make concessions or compromises on issues that affect its vital interests and sovereignty. There is no room for compromise or concessions on the Taiwan issue.
With the United States continuing to sell weaponry to Taiwan, the US is determined to prevent any rapprochement between China and Taiwan. Conflicts of interest have heightened tensions between China and the United States, the most significant of which are those in the Asian region, particularly the island of Taiwan.
In exchange, China is eager to find a solution to this problem, to restore Taiwan's sovereignty, beginning with peaceful means, but currently, with the US interfering by selling armaments to Taiwan and Taiwan's hints at independence. This enraged China, prompting it to strengthen its military and shift from peaceful to military pronouncements. The Chinese military exercises on the southern and northern sides of the Taiwan Strait show that tensions in the region are rising (Haltam,2020).
The Chinese government has made peaceful reunification a priority. It is important to note that the Taiwan issue is solely a Chinese internal matter. The Taiwan issue should be settled equitably and completely through bilateral negotiations and within the framework of China. The Taiwan issue has long been a source of instability in the Asia-Pacific region. China's reunification will contribute not only to the country's stability and growth but also to the future development of friendly relations and cooperation between China and other nations, as well as to peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world (State council,2021).
